1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to insulated containers such as portable coolers. More specifically, the present invention relates to a device for transporting portable coolers and the like.
2. Description of Related Art
Portable coolers are often used to transport food, beverages and ice to various outdoor activities such as sporting events, picnics, camping trips, etc. When fully loaded with food, beverages and ice, however, the requirement to carry a loaded cooler long distances to a desired location tempers the fun of such activities.
In order to improve the transportability of coolers, some portable coolers are made with wheels. Wheeled coolers typically include a pair of wheels coupled to an axle that extends through an axle aperture formed through a bottom portion of the cooler. Such wheeled coolers usually include recesses in the side insulated walls where the wheels are attached so that the wheels do not protrude too far beyond the walls of the cooler.
Design problems in wheeled coolers present several disadvantages that encourage many manufacturers to make non-wheeled coolers. For instance, by configuring coolers to include wheels, the amount of insulation in the side walls and/or the bottom wall is greatly decreased, which thereby decreases the effectiveness of the cooler. Also, at the outdoor activities at which coolers are most often used, people often sit on top of closed coolers and use coolers as a seat. Wheeled coolers, however, cannot be used as a seat because sitting on top of such a cooler will cause the cooler to roll and could injure the user by causing the user to fall off the cooler. Also, the wheels and axles of such coolers are prone to breakage and attempting to sit on top of such a cooler, or pulling the cooler over rough ground surfaces, often breaks the axles and/or the wheels on such coolers. Moreover, when wheeled coolers are placed on a non-flat surface, in a car, or on a boat, such coolers roll around and are difficult to maintain in a stationary position.
As a result of these problems, many popular and widely used coolers are not made to include wheels. Non-wheeled coolers typically have better and more uniform insulation in the cooler walls compared to wheeled coolers. Plus, non-wheeled coolers typically are longer lasting, more durable, and include less parts that are prone to breakage compared to wheeled coolers. Users can sit on top of non-wheeled coolers and such coolers remain in a stationary position even when place on a non-flat surface, in a car, or on a boat.
The main problem with large, non-wheeled coolers, however, is that they are heavy and it is practically impossible for one person to carry such a cooler when it is loaded with food, beverages and ice. Therefore, a need exists for a cooler transporting device that improves the transportability of non-wheeled coolers by easily and quickly converting a non-wheeled cooler into a wheeled cooler. A cooler transporting device is needed that can be attached to a cooler to help transport it and that can be detached from the cooler when the cooler has reached its destination. While enhanced mobility is needed for transporting non-wheeled coolers, the coolers must also be stable when stationary, easy to store, and durable. Also, the effectiveness of the cooling properties of the cooler should not suffer as a result of enhancing the mobility of the cooler. A cooler transporting device is further needed that allows one user to easily transport a cooler from one place to another without requiring assistance from another person.
In view of the foregoing, it is apparent that a need exists in the art for a cooler transporting device which overcomes, mitigates or solves the above problems in the art. It is a purpose of this invention to fulfill this and other needs in the art which will become more apparent to the skilled artisan once given the following disclosure.